Commentary posted on July 6, 2015

Proper 10B Sermon Commentary

 

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Mark 6:14-29 Sermon Commentary

Proper 10B

Comments and Observations Every day the news contains sad and tawdry stories not too far removed from this lection in Mark 6.    It’s altogether too typical.    Here in Mark 6 we learn that the last great Old Testament prophet and the first great New Testament gospel herald, John the Baptist himself, was done in because…

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Psalm 24 Sermon Commentary

Proper 10B

Scholars call Psalm 24 a processional liturgy that celebrates Yahweh’s entrance to Zion.  They speculate that the poet composed it for either David’s bringing the ark into Jerusalem as reported, for example, in 2 Samuel 6, or a festival that commemorated that event, or the return of the ark to Jerusalem and its temple after…

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Ephesians 1:3-14 Sermon Commentary

Proper 10B

Comments and Observations In the last two years the Revised Common Lectionary has taken us to this very text two other times, both around Christmas, that festive time in the world’s and the church’s calendar.  Now we’re in Ordinary Time.  Here in the United States we’ve just enjoyed the hoopla of the Fourth of July,…

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2 Samuel 6:1-5; 12b-19 Sermon Commentary

Proper 10B

One of my students once preached a sermon from Joshua that was, shall we say, downright “edgy.”  He began by quoting a comedy routine done by a non-practicing Jew in which this comedian tackled—without knowing he was doing so—that great question long ago raised by Marcion: why does the God of the Old Testament appear…

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